Top 10 destinations to watch in 2016

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

Rio has been a destination to
watch pretty much forever - and this year it will be crowned
Carnival Queen when it hosts the 2016 Olympics. We can only dream
of what that sequinned spectacular opening ceremony is going to be
like - and just imagine the parties! The whole city bumping and whooping
and shimmying up against one another on the streets.

Hundreds of restaurants are popping up, with chefs from all over
the world bringing their signature cuisines with them, creating an
international food scene which is a fresh new thing for Rio.
Gourmet burgers and street-food trucks are the food trends to watch
(both exemplified by top chef Roberta Sudbrack, whose eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant has started serving
posh burgers, while her new SudTruck sells the best hotdogs on the
streets of Rio). And around 150 new hotels are opening in time for
the Rio 2016 Olympics which starts on 5 August 2016; the newest to
catch our eye is colonial Casa Marques, high in the boho district of
Santa Teresa, which has stunning views across the city.

Fiona Kerr, Word of Mouth Editor, tips the hottest neighbourhood
to hang out in right now as hip Jardim Botânico, artsy and alive.
Look out for Casa Camolese, opening in June, which will house a
restaurant, cocktail bar, deli, craft brewery and underground jazz
club.